Getting more book reviews is a crucial step in the book marketing process for self-published authors. Not only do reviews provide social proof that your book is worth reading, but they can also help improve your book’s visibility on platforms like Amazon and Goodreads.
Here are the steps and resources to help you get more book reviews:
1. Set Up a Book Launch Team A book launch team, also known as a street team, consists of a group of dedicated readers who are excited about your book and willing to leave reviews. Reach out to friends, family, colleagues, and followers on social media to build your team. Provide them with an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) and ask for a review in return.
2. Distribute ARCs Through Book Promotion Platforms Use platforms like BookFunnel, StoryOrigin, and Booksprout to distribute ARCs to potential reviewers. These platforms have a large base of readers who are willing to leave reviews in exchange for free books.
3. Leverage Author and Reader Communities Join author and reader communities on platforms like Goodreads, Facebook, and Reddit. Participate in discussions, offer support to other writers, and then request reviews for your book. Be sure to provide a copy of your book to those who are interested.
4. Reach Out to Book Bloggers and Influencers Identify book bloggers and influencers in your genre, and send them a personalized email pitch. Offer a free copy of your book for review and explain why you believe their audience would be interested in your book. Here’s 1100 places to market your book.
5. Use Paid Book Review Services Consider using paid book review services like SelfPublishingReview and Kirkus Reviews. These services provide credible and unbiased reviews that can add legitimacy to your book.
6. Offer a Free Promotion on Amazon Run a free promotion on Amazon, and promote it on platforms like BookBub, Freebooksy, and Bargain Booksy. Free promotions can increase downloads and subsequently lead to more reviews. Here’s 120 places to promote your free book.
7. Include a Call to Action in Your Book At the end of your book, include a call to action that asks readers to leave a review. Explain how their reviews help authors like you and provide a direct link to your book’s review page.
8. Host a Giveaway Run a giveaway on platforms like Goodreads or social media, offering a free copy of your book to a few winners in exchange for a review. This not only encourages reviews but also builds excitement around your book. I built a list of 8500+ with a giveaway for my first book launch.
9. Exchange Reviews with Other Authors Join author groups on platforms like Facebook, and offer to exchange reviews with other authors in your genre. This is a great way to support other indie authors while also receiving reviews for your book.
Edit: This is one of those things that sounds good, but is actually a bad idea – exchanging reviews like this is against the terms of service, and it always becomes a problem when authors don’t like each other’s books and it can turn ugly. There are some services or groups that try this, but be cautious and wary; I’m mostly listing it so I can tell you not to do it 🙂
10. Offer Bonus Content for Reviews Reward readers who leave reviews with bonus content such as a free short story, character sketches, or behind-the-scenes content. This can incentivize readers to take the time to leave a review. Be careful though, offering bonuses for reviews is a murky area – you can’t actually “incentivize” reviews at all, but you can encourage them. Related: bonus content for purchases can get you banned.
11. Respond to Reviews Engage with readers by responding to their reviews. Thank them for taking the time to read and review your book. This builds a rapport with readers and encourages others to leave reviews as well.
Remember, it’s essential to be patient and persistent when seeking reviews for your self-published book. Also, ensure that you’re following each platform’s guidelines for requesting and incentivizing reviews. With time and effort, you’ll start seeing more reviews, which can help boost your book’s visibility and credibility.
Note: Please ensure you follow the guidelines of each review platform you engage with, as some may have rules against paid reviews or specific ways they handle ARC reviews. Always prioritize genuine, unbiased reviews from real readers to maintain credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of your audience.
Creativity is my passion. I love helping artists and writers to develop their unique voice and gifts! I write and organize guest posts, and research useful content and articles for Creativindie, with an eye on SEO and boosting traffic. I focus mostly on arts, crafts and graphic design.
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